FAA ORDERS INSPECTIONS FOR CRACKS ON BOEING 757S

By Dino D'Amore
January 10, 2011 09:55

As confirmed here on this news service in october, US have been directed by the Federal Aviation Administration to inspect all 683 Boeing 757 aircraft for cracks after a hole opened on an American Airlines plane on October 26. The directive covers 757-200, -200CB and -300 series aircraft.

A 1-foot-by-2-foot hole opened up on the cockpit of the 757-200 American Airlines aircraft at 31,000 feet, which caused a loss of pressure and forced an emergency landing in Miami. An 11 inch crack was also found in a United Airlines 757 aircraft on September 11following an inspection after the flight crew reported hearing a whistling sound during a flight.

Airlines are required to complete initial inspections within 30 days, or before 15,000 total flight cycles are accumulated, and then repeat the reviews at intervals ranging from every 30 takeoffs and landings, called a cycle, to 300 cycles, according to the FAA’s directive. The inspections will cost the airline industry a total of $58,055, based on the $85 per-hour cost to inspect all the aircraft, the FAA estimated.

Airlines must repair any cracks found before operating further flights using the aircraft, the FAA said.

Boeing already recommended carriers make the same inspections on November 22.